Death at a Funeral (2007) - 8 stars out of 10

Death at a Funeral (2007) - 8 stars out of 10

“Death at a Funeral” (the original British version) is a hysterical character-driven black comedy.  Even though I only have vague familiarity with a few of these actors, the script is so well written that the characters make the actors funny, not vice versa (as attempted by the American remake).  The script brings this group of connected characters to a wedding where a combination of secrets, grief, and drugs results in a lot of dark humor.  Black comedies usually are not my cup of tea but this one is so good that you can’t help but laugh.  Andy Nyman has a truly inspired performance as Howard, the unfortunate recipient of some mislabeled drugs.  His mannerisms and unseen hallucinations are convincing while always remaining comedic instead of dramatic.  My favorite character is Justin, the sleezy guy who just can’t take a hint and stop bothering his former one-night stand (who is now engaged to the naked Howard on the roof).  The best part of Justin is the revelation that causes him to give up.  Matthew MacFadyen actually delivers a pretty awesome dramatic/emotional performance amidst all of the chaos while Peter Vaughan is just plain hilarious in the role of Uncle Alfie.  “Death at a Funeral” is off-the-wall, unpredictable, and often inappropriate, but something about it is irresistible and worth watching.

Santa Claus Conquers the Martians - 1 stars out of 10

Santa Claus Conquers the Martians - 1 stars out of 10

…how does this movie even exist?  I am still trying to figure out at what developmental level one’s brain could actually see this as “good.”  “Santa Claus Conquers the Martians” is a 1964 sci-fi film that you will simply have to see to believe.  I will give the writers credit for being completely original as the plot involves Martians that abduct Santa Claus in order to help the children of Mars develop individuality by having fun.  I will also give the writers credit for writing one of the stupidest stories in the history of Earth.  You don’t have to look very far to see the stupidity with the unoriginal names of the Martians (Momar = Mom Martian, Girmar = Girl Martian).  Add cheesy dialogue and overacting to enhance the horrible plot, but the thing that makes this film so enjoyable is its campiness.  A robot whose motions are clearly an uncoordinated man in a flimsy costume, actors that can’t stop shaking after being struck by a freeze ray, and a machine that creates toys… but you can see the hands of the crew pushing the toys out through the slots.  Add in a jolly Santa whose jokes bring a response of delayed, forced laughter from the actors but somehow manage to put a twinkle in the eye of robots and Martians.  Really the only interesting aspect of this film is that the “good Martians” are the ones that kidnapped Santa while the “bad Martians” want to kill Santa to keep the Martian children from being corrupted with Christmas cheer.  Yes, it is as ridiculous as it sounds.  It only grows worse when Dropo, a dimwitted Martian, dons a Santa suit and starts running around shouting “Ho ho ho.”  This film should only be approached by moviegoers who love painfully bad films and even then, be very cautious of the Santy Claus song at the end that may plague your mind forever.

Mr. Magoo's Christmas Carol - 9 stars out of 10

Mr. Magoo's Christmas Carol - 9 stars out of 10
Merry Christmas 

I don’t think that Charles Dickens ever envisioned his story this way, but Mr. Magoo has interpreted the “Christmas Carol” in a way that is entertaining, musical, and easily relatable to children.  In addition to its entertainment value, “Mr. Magoo’s Christmas Carol” is historically significant as it is the animated holiday television special that inspired all of the classics that have become family Christmas traditions all over the world.  The film itself features a Broadway production of the classic Christmas tale, starring Mr. Magoo as Ebenezer Scrooge.  The script pays respect to Dickens by keeping the story intact with a few alterations to fit the 1-hour tv spot, staying true to the original language, and avoiding the expected Magoo catastrophes (with the exception of the beginning and end, of course).  Scrooge’s nephew Fred is written out of the film and a few scenes are combined, but it works.  Jim Backus provides the voice for Magoo with other famous voice actors sprinkled throughout the film, including Jack Cassidy as Bob Cratchit, Morey Amsterdam as James and Brady, and the famous Disney actor Paul Frees (Ghost Host in the Haunted Mansion, the “Dead men tell no tales” voice in Pirates of the Caribbean) speaking several roles.  If you haven’t seen this one, add it to your Christmas movie list.  You’ll laugh, you’ll cry, and the songs will be running through your mind until next Christmas!

A Walt Disney Christmas - 8 stars out of 10

A Walt Disney Christmas - 8 stars out of 10

No Christmas celebration is complete without these Disney animated shorts from the 30’s, 40’s, and 50’s.  Unlike “Saludos Amigos” and “The Three Caballeros,” this compilation does not try to tie the cartoons together with a story; instead, the winter theme is enough to relate one short to the next.  A few highlights include:
Santa’s Workshop - An incredibly jolly Santa prepares for Christmas with his elves to the tune of Schubert’s “March Militaire.”  The clever rhymes on Santa’s list and machine-like assembling of the toys is everything that you could want from a 1930’s cartoon.
Pluto’s Christmas Tree - Mickey and Pluto put up a Christmas tree while Chip and Dale tear it down.  Classic.
The Night Before Christmas - Another classic 1930’s take on a traditional Santa Clause tale.
Donald’s Snow Fight - This is one of the greatest Disney shorts of all-time, punctuated with great sight gags as Donald engages in an epic snowball battle with Huey, Dewey, and Louie.

The other films (“Once Upon a Wintertime” and “On Ice”) aren’t as memorable but still give that magical Disney feel.  With a running time of 42 minutes, this film is the perfect addition to your traditional Christmas line-up.

Saving Mr. Banks - 10 stars out of 10

Saving Mr. Banks - 10 stars out of 10

“Saving Mr. Banks” is as awesome as anticipated, but in a completely unexpected way.  What appears to be “The Making of Mary Poppins” is actually an intricate series of parallels between the “Mary Poppins” characters, the script negotiations, and the childhood of P. L. Travers.  Magical moments like Disney taking Travers to Disneyland and the Sherman brothers composing the iconic Poppins songs are contrasted by heartbreaking flashbacks to Travers’ childhood.  Even though the film must be classified as a drama, comic relief is perfectly punctuated throughout the film to maintain a lighthearted and uplifting feel.  The script deserves an Oscar nomination for maintaining this balance and simultaneously transporting us into the rehearsal room at Walt Disney Studios and the childhood of Travers.  You knew that the film was going to be fantastic from the moment that you saw the movie poster with the shadows of Disney and Travers taking the form of Mickey Mouse and Mary Poppins.  The poster and previews make the film irresistible and the final product lives up to every expectation of excellence.   Disney Studios ensured that this untold story would turn heads through its casting.  With two two-time Oscar winners in the lead roles, the film moves beyond acting in order to recreate real life.  Tom Hanks is the first actor to portray Walt Disney and has set the bar very high through his accent and overall appearance.  Emma Thompson’s portrayal of P. L. Travers is incredibly deep and refined as she concurrently must be stubborn on the outside, angry on the inside, and lonely at her core.  I had my doubts about Colin Farrell (especially after watching “In Bruges” the night before) but he struck the perfect balance between endearing and irresponsible.  Even with the Oscar-winners headlining the film, my favorite performance came from Paul Giamatti.  His character could have been completely static but his interpretive line delivery and subtlety in his emotional scene created a great connection.  It was also fun to see the Sherman brothers and their process come to life through Jason Schwartzman and B. J. Novak.  It’s easy to forget about Annie Rose Buckley because she plays the role of young  P. L. Travers so perfectly that you assume that it is a real flashback.  When you combine these amazing performances with an excellent script and a Thomas Newman soundtrack that highlights the music from “Mary Poppins” while bringing out the emotions of each scene, “Saving Mr. Banks” deserves a place on everybody’s Top Ten for 2013.

In Bruges - 4 stars out of 10

In Bruges - 4 stars out of 10

“In Bruges” is crass, gory, but surprisingly entertaining.  I’m pretty sure that the opening dialogue of the film contains more swear words than non-swear words but something in me decided to give it a chance.  The synopsis led me to believe that this was an action film and my false expectation could be the source of my disappointment.  Black comedies are not really my thing and I probably would have passed on this one had I done my research.  Viewing it as a serious film, the language and graphic violence are completely over the top and often unnecessary, but this film is anything but serious.  Even though I approached the film from the wrong perspective, I can still accurately comment on the acting.  Colin Farrell and Brendan Gleason have great chemistry and deliver the script well, but Clémence Poésy kind of killed the momentum of the film.  Her character (and her performance) were bland, disinteresting, and distracted from the good performances of the other actors.  As far as its Oscar-nominated screenplay, it is difficult to discern where the nomination came from.  The story and twists were clever but the dialogue itself was rather trite.  It wasn’t a bad script, but certainly not deserving of an Oscar nomination.  I don’t recommend this film if you are not a fan of black comedies but, if it is your cup of tea, perhaps you will spot the genius that is eluding me.